ABSTRACT Molecularly imprinted polymers
(MIPs) have been the most convenient and selected methods in detection and
extraction for many types of specific targets in various fields. MIPs were
prepared by mixing template molecule with functional monomer in the presence of
cross-linker, solvent and initiator. The selectivity of MIPs is strongly
influenced by the types of functional monomer, solvent and polymerization
process used. Pyrogallol-imprinted polymer (Py-IP) and nonimprinted polymer
(NIP) were synthesized via precipitation polymerization using 4- vinylpyridine
(4-VP), divinylbenzene (DVB) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as functional
monomer, cross-linker and initiator, respectively. Pyrogallol (Py) was used as
a target molecule. The synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and
UV-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). In this study, adsorption capacity was
measured by the dosage effect, contact time and selectivity study. Results
showed that maximum adsorption capacity by Py-IP is above 50%. The Selectivity
study shows that k’ is >1, which indicates that Py-IP has a good selectivity
towards pyrogallol. Therefore, it has a good potential to be used as an
adsorbent.
Keywords: 4-vinylpyridine; Adsorption
isotherm; Molecularly-imprinted polymers; Selectivity study
